I couldn't wait to post another chapter.

There was a serious of rapid fire knocks on the master bedroom door that could only belong to Alli.

"Coming!" Clare shouted.

She opened the door to see her petite best friend donning the biggest smile she had ever seen, and holding onto the wrist of poor Adam Torres, who was toting a rolling wardrobe rack.

Immediately, Alli jumped at Clare and grabbed her in a hug.

"Clarebear, I can't believe you did it! I'm so happy for you! You're finally getting what you wanted after a million years!"

"Always one for hyberbole, Bhandari." Adam grumbled from behind her.

Clare released Alli and glanced at Adam who broke out a beautiful smile for her too.

"I'm happy for you too, Edwards. Now that guy will finally realize he's the luckiest dude alive."

Clare smiled back at Adam before turning her eyes to the wardrobe Alli had no doubt forced him to pull into the room. She took in the array of sequins, leather, lace and feathers and was sure that Alli had something up her sleeve.

"Okay, Alli. I need magic here, woman."

The girl clasped her hands together and said, "You're in good hands, Clare. This boy is going to get Chloe Diana's heart-stopping best on Friday."

Clare strutted into her ensuite bathroom once more to remove the sequined red dressed, Alli's third outfit pick, and slip on the fourth. Everything up to this point had been lovely, and at one point or another on the tour Clare had worn them happily, but for this particular show, she needed something better; something exquisite.

She pulled on the fourth dress, a black leather and lace combination, and knew immediately that it was right. It hugged all of her lovely upper body curves and even showed off a respectable amount of skin underneath the sheer black lace. Then the leather began just above her belly button and fell down into a lovely a-line skirt, ending a few inches above her knee.

She stepped out of the bathroom with a brilliant smile on her face, to be greeted with a similar one from Alli and Adam's dropped jaw.

"Oh my God, Clare, it's perfect! You're perfect!"

She turned to Adam, my other best friend, for his approval.

"He's a really lucky dude, Clare. I mean it. Jesus."

Clare flushed at the compliment and then was taken through the frenzy of deciding footwear, accessories, hair and make-up.

As she lay in bed that evening, in the penthouse suite of a lovely hotel in the middle of downtown God knows where, Clare finally let herself get excited.

She would be meeting Eli in just three days. And three very long days they would be.

Late Thursday night or very early Friday morning, after a show in Los Angeles, Clare and her whole travelling road show were on a flight into Toronto International Airport.

She could hardly contain her glee. She had been very careful to limit her communication with Eli over the last few days out of fear that he would wonder about how she was getting to the show, and where she was staying and things of the like. However, the lack of communication was simultaneously making the build-up to this evening much greater.

Once all of the members of management, security and the band, as well as the entire crew of make-up artists, hair stylists, light technicians, sound technicians, stage crews, back-up technicians and everyone else it took to put on a Chloe Diana show was off the plane, Clare was headed to her hotel. She liked to personally make sure that everyone was with them, and well looked after, because her job really depended on theirs and she knew she could never do it without them.

On the drive through downtown Toronto, Clare was able to relax for the first time in ages. She was hours away from meeting the boy she so loved, and putting on what she hoped was her best performance in her old home town. Regularly, she would be a pile of nerves but she felt such a blissful calm.

Once she was all checked into the hotel and assured that the crew would arrive shortly, Clare settled into her bed, sent out a good night tweet to the twitterverse and sent off three very important texts.

The first, to Alli to confirm that her outfit was ready and the make-up & hair crew was informed; the second, to Adam to make sure he was all ready to carry out the wonderful surprise she had planned for Eli; and the last, to the man himself, to tell him she would be wearing a black leather dress, with navy blue heels and her hair curled and down.

Her text to Eli ended with, "I think it will be hard for you to miss me" and she couldn't help but smile to herself as she fell asleep.

A stage hand wearing a headset and carrying a clipboard passes Clare briskly and says, "10 minutes to show time, Chloe!"

She thanks him and turns back to Alli to let her put the final touches on her make-up. There is a team specifically for this but tonight Alli insisted it be her.

"Nervous, Clarebear?"

"More nervous than I've ever been, but it's really exhilarating. My heart must be pumping a mile a minute." Clare replies, thinking it's the most accurate assessment she can give. She is head –to-toe nerves, but she also feels like right now she could take on anything. It's a heavy combination.

Alli's hand stills, hovering above Clare's cheekbone with a make-up brush in hand and says, "Clare, you're going to knock this one out of the park and by the time the show is over, you'll have landed your dream goth boy."

Clare smiled up at her best friend affectionately. "Thanks, Alli."

Alli did a final once over of Clare's outfit again and declared her perfect and stage-ready.

"I'll watch from the right side, and be there if you need me." Alli said. After a quick hug, she ran off into the frenzy of the backstage.

After receiving the five minute call time, Clare gathered up the guys-Adam, Drew, and Jake-who were near the stage staircase.

"Ready, boys?"

In return, Clare was granted three answering smiles and Adam said, "Are you ready, Clare? Big night tonight."

She grabbed one of Adam's free hands and one of Drew's, effectively starting the circle ritual.

When they had clasped hands and closed the circle, Clare looked at Adam and told him that she "was born ready."

As always, Clare started their little band moment with, "At this moment, we are most thankful for all the wonderful people around us,"

Adam continued, "and for the opportunity to do what we love every night,"

Then Drew, "and that we are all healthy, happy and loved"

and Jake finished with, "and we pray this never ever comes to an end."

TBC